The Regional Forum on Environment and Health in Southeast and East Asian Countries is a global framework for action provided by Agenda 21 of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development; the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation of 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development; the Millennium Development Goals of the United Nations and the recommendations of the fifth Ministerial Conference on Environment and Development in Asia and the Pacific (held at Seoul, South Korea in March 2005) on enhancing the environmental sustainability of economic growth. The second Ministerial Regional Forum was held 14–16 July 2010 in Jeju Province, South Korea. The forum is held every three years; the first was in Bangkok in August 2007. Charter Recognizing that the environment greatly affects health, Acknowledging the importance of ensuring the protection of human health and the environment, Understanding that children, the elderly and the poor are among the most vulnerable to and suffer most from environmental deterioration, Conscious that improving environmental health and ensuring sustainable economic growth are key components of poverty reduction, Realizing that the maintenance of health and well-being depend on environmental quality and sustainable development, Underlining the importance and cost-effectiveness of giving priority to preventive action, Conscious of the urgency to take immediate, coordinated action involving all relevant government agencies, organizations from the private sector, civil society, academia and media, Aware that solutions require inter-disciplinary and cross-sectoral interventions with experts from physical and natural sciences, health and social sciences, development, finance and other fields, Realizing the specific characteristics, cultural diversity and needs of the region (its unprecedented economic development, rapid urbanization and population growth and widespread poverty), Admitting that nations in the region are physically interconnected by shared bodies of water and air, Mindful that many environmental and health issues are trans-boundary in nature and that globalization has highlighted the interdependence of nations, communities and individuals, Keeping in mind existing international agreements on the protection of the ozone layer, climate change, biodiversity conservation, the management of chemicals and wastes and other initiatives related to environment and health, Mindful of the precautionary approach and guided by the "polluter pays" principle and the norms of good governance including civic engagement and participation, efficiency, equity, transparency and accountability, Taking note of the various efforts being undertaken by various countries at the national and regional levels, The ministers responsible for the environment and health of the Southeast Asian countries of Brunei,